The performance of an ultrasonic inspection system is dependent upon many factors. These factors include, for example, the type of ultrasonic transducer used and the positioning of the ultrasonic transducer relative to the object under inspection. For optimal performance these factors need to selected dependent upon the physical characteristics of the object under inspection. However, the user of an ultrasonic inspection system often does not have sufficient expertise to make good selections. Consequently, the quality of the relating inspection is degraded compared to the optimal performance of the inspection system.
One approach is for the manufacturer of an ultrasonic inspection system to provide a list of commonly used configurations that can be accessed by the user. However this approach does not help the user when an object with a different structure is to be inspected. Further, this approach does not assist the user in developing an understanding of the capabilities of the inspection system.